Ali Condon
A woman who believes her first marriage was 'doomed' from the start has finally gotten to have the wedding of her dreams after marrying herself.
Dorothy 'Dottie' Fideli, 77, held a rather unusual wedding ceremony over the weekend after deciding to commit herself to... well, herself.
Talk about self love!
Before the big day at O'Bannon Terrace, her retirement community, Dorothy admitted that she was 'nervous' but 'excited' to tie the knot.
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Dottie was first married back in 1965 in a speedy courthouse ceremony, but she and her groom divorced nine years later.
Looking back, she's now convinced that it was never supposed to work out.
"I wore a black dress, so I was doomed before I got started," she said in an interview with Today.
In the years since, Dottie has been mostly by herself, and always worried that she was 'too late' to enjoy the wedding of her dreams.
That was until one day when she realised that the love of her life had been with her the whole time. It was her!
Dottie explained that she got the idea to marry herself after her neighbours, who had seen something similar happen on a talk show, suggested it to her.
"Now I have a second chance in doing something that'll make me happy," the mum-of-three said.
"I have been with myself for 40 years," she said, according to KCEN.
Although she's committing to herself, Dottie is especially grateful for her daughter Donna, who helped to put the big day together.
Not only did Donna help her mum to find the perfect dress for her special day, but she also decorated the retirement home's community room, where the occasion was to take place, and cooked food for all of Dottie's guests.
Dottie told Today: "I told my daughter, I said, 'This is the best thing that I've ever had, outside of having you kids.
"This is what I've always wanted and I'm so happy that you (gave) it to me."
Anyone else crying? Just me?
Dressed up in her veil and gown, she told KCEN: "I never thought I'd look this pretty... It's emotional for me. Because this is something I've always wanted."
Dottie, who has spent most of her life caring for her children and grandchildren, was excited to dedicate a well-deserved day just to herself.
She told Today that she's excited for her life to be 'about me now'.
"It's my turn to do what I want to do," she added.